Boys on the Bus
Irish came home on the bus this week upset, because kids who were usually nice had decided to make fun of him. He was crying, and I managed to get out of him what had upset him so much. Irish first really alarmed me because he said that what the boys had said was so mean, he didn't even want to repeat it. I pressed the issue, my behavior-treatment trained mind expecting the worst.
Irish was upset because the boys said his middle name was "monkey butt."
This seemed to be boys being dumb, but could escalate to shark if they sensed blood in the water if Irish let on it got to him too much.
I was somewhat taken aback by Irish being laid low by this, because he has handled bullies making fun of his weight by jiggling his tummy, and comparing it to jell-o. He then made overtures of friendship with the mean kid, and they actually got along after that. I asked what was different, and Irish responded that this insult wasn't true, so it was worse. Evidently, he could work with insults that he internalized as true, and could re-shape the perceptions in a positive way. Lies, he didn't know how to handle without causing loss of friendship or war by calling them out on it. Thus, the upsetitude.
So, I gave him his line: "You're only saying my middle name is 'monkey butt' because your middle name is 'idjet'." I also said that if they called him "monkey butt" still, he should hoot like a monkey, making monkey arm movements, and then point to his bottom, saying "Kiss my monkey butt." (Disarm the opposition with humor.)
Sure enough, Irish said the boys were at it again the very next morning. He delivered his lines as suggested, with great success, as everyone laughed. He also came up with one of his own, saying another boy's middle name was "Schtupid." Everyone is friends again.
Oh, the power of being an elementary school boy and finding words like "monkey butt" funny. Right up there with fart noises.
"You know what?" "What?" "Monkey butt."
"You know what?" "What?" "Monkey butt."
"You know what?" "What?" "Monkey butt."
Irish was upset because the boys said his middle name was "monkey butt."
This seemed to be boys being dumb, but could escalate to shark if they sensed blood in the water if Irish let on it got to him too much.
I was somewhat taken aback by Irish being laid low by this, because he has handled bullies making fun of his weight by jiggling his tummy, and comparing it to jell-o. He then made overtures of friendship with the mean kid, and they actually got along after that. I asked what was different, and Irish responded that this insult wasn't true, so it was worse. Evidently, he could work with insults that he internalized as true, and could re-shape the perceptions in a positive way. Lies, he didn't know how to handle without causing loss of friendship or war by calling them out on it. Thus, the upsetitude.
So, I gave him his line: "You're only saying my middle name is 'monkey butt' because your middle name is 'idjet'." I also said that if they called him "monkey butt" still, he should hoot like a monkey, making monkey arm movements, and then point to his bottom, saying "Kiss my monkey butt." (Disarm the opposition with humor.)
Sure enough, Irish said the boys were at it again the very next morning. He delivered his lines as suggested, with great success, as everyone laughed. He also came up with one of his own, saying another boy's middle name was "Schtupid." Everyone is friends again.
Oh, the power of being an elementary school boy and finding words like "monkey butt" funny. Right up there with fart noises.
"You know what?" "What?" "Monkey butt."
"You know what?" "What?" "Monkey butt."
"You know what?" "What?" "Monkey butt."